Nate watched closely as Dan had his hands on his face. They were in Nate's own private Archibald Household and Dan needed time to redeem himself. He had walked right up to Bart Bass stating his challenge on him, a manipulation that he himself wasn't sure of. All because Tyler Manning said killing Bart would destroy Blair. He didn't know why he did it, but the news of it, everything about the things Tyler had said stopped him from killing Bart right that instance.
All because he did it for Blair.
Flashback
"Put the gun down Perseus," he knows that voice, Tyler Manning. "We need to discuss something."
Dan slowly had his knife behind him when he puts the gun down. Tyler Manning was no killer so he could instantly knock him down in a second. Slowly he eyed behind Manning and oddly enough there was no guard behind him. He looked back at Manning and he sees his hand tremble.
"You know I can kill you," Dan said. "But I have some business to take care off, so please, save it, Harold."
"I know you could," Harold said. "But I am not here to stop you, I am here to slow down the process."
"What?" Dan was confused.
"If you kill Bart Bass right now, you will destroy my daughter," Harold said and Dan was shocked. "If you knew about my identity you should know Blair is also my daughter."
"I don't understand," Dan was definitely not getting anything.
"How much did your client pay you?" Harold asked. "I will pay twice as much just for you to slow the process."
"Wouldn't killing him now release her?"
"Bart Bass is no stranger to the dirty deeds of the business world, but he also knew that his name was not enough to bill through the business plots. Some of his assets were named after Blair and if you kill him now, those sharks will definitely target her and destroy her. I can't let that happen," Harold said. 'I know you are good, even the best assassin out there, and I will pay you double the amount for you to slow the process. Until I get Blair's name off those assets."
"And why would I do that?" really, he would, but he's contemplating on not to.
"You're the best out there, you can actually save her," Harold said.
End Flashback
Dan sighed, he realized he did care for Blair, even after all this confusions, he still somehow cared for her. He rubbed his head. He had blindly walked into Bart's ring of fire only with the information that Harold had blurred his background and Nate's who Harold thought was his accomplice. He didn't have a strategy going in and he was seriously trembling going into it. But then he saw Blair eyeing him, confused, hurt and scared. He hates that. He needed to finish Bart off, but not yet. Thus he went through a plan that he bluntly organized. Making a deal with the devil.
He sees Nate eyeing him.
"You have a lot of questions do you?" Dan said.
"I do. But let's start off with why Bart Bass isn't dead yet? My disguise is ripped and now the man is not dead yet?" Nate almost exploded.
"Don't worry. Tyler Manning had blurred you off," Dan said. "Plus you're a cop in his region, even with those information he won't do anything to you. The Archibald clan is important to the Upper East Side. He won't mess that connection."
"I don't get it! You had him! Right under your nose!" Nate was definitely exploding.
"I just can't, okay!" Dan stood up. He needed to do this. He didn't quite understand it yet but he knew it was because of Blair. "Let it go, Hercules. I'll definitely kill him, but not now, not today. I have something else to do before that." He had to release her first.
"You're crazy," Nate said and they heard a knock on his door. Dan sees Tyler Manning behind it. "Who are you?"
"He's Bart's assistant who just helped you big time," Dan pushed Nate to the side. He looked back at Tyler. "So?"
"Bart will take it. He's still processing but he'll take it," Tyler said. "Your words had pushed him through and I must say I am very amazed by your skills, Perseus."
"I still need more explanation," Dan said. He looked at Nate, signaling him to go. "Do you must?"
"It's my house."
"Well, I'll tell you about it later, just go," Dan warned him and Nate sighed, walking out. Dan closed the door. "I need to know everything, Harold."
Harold decided to tell. "I lost my practice when Blair was young and was forced to work as Bart Bass' advisor. I am no businessman but I know the law, and I know the loopholes around here. I created the dirty margins Bart Bass wanted," Harold was trembling even more but he took a deep breath. "All because he had her in his hands. All the time. He knew if he lost me I could easily destroy him when I release all those documents. He needed to hold something that was mine. If I slip even once, he will destroy her."
"How did she end up being owned by him?" Dan asked and suddenly he realized. The sudden battle between Eleanor and Harold for Blair. "Did you?"
"I sacrificed her when I lost my practice," Harold said. "I had lost everything and Bart gave me a job. I took it without even looking at the consequences. Eleanor and I lived in a penthouse and to lose even our home makes me wonder, where to next? When Bart came, I took his offer almost immediately and he told me he needed a contract that wouldn't let me bail out, he needed an insurance."
"That insurance was Blair," Dan stared at him, disbelieved.
"I gave up Blair's custody, ordered the transfer immediately. Bart holds her custody, but I thought it wouldn't matter what the black and white says if Blair was kept safe with me," Harold gripped his own fist. "Eleanor repented, she knew beforehand that Bart Bass was never a good man. She filed for divorce and would report for full custody. But the papers has said that Harold and Eleanor Waldorf are not eligible to raise the child that even the divorce would do nothing."
Harold sees Dan listening and quite frankly not believing that he had just done what he had.
"What did you do next?" Dan asked, whispered.
"Eleanor didn't want me near Blair, so I left home, left my name and became Tyler Manning. Bart helped me with that, he could call in and Harold Waldorf vanished for good," Harold smiled sadly. "I still keep an eye on her, I know how she hated it when her mother toss her around when she found her business. I knew her grades, her attitude, I was even there on her 15th birthday even if Eleanor never permits it."
Harold stopped to take a deep breath and continued. "When she turned 16, I was exhausted with Bart's working. I placed my resignation letter, hoping for the best, but Bart refused it. Then Eleanor called saying that the social service came to take Blair away from her, right up to the Bass Penthouse."
"He had a hold on you?"
"He had a hold on her," Harold said. "I am not permitted to quit until he is done with the Upper East Side."
"But for Blair, right when she became 18, you are free from those contract," Dan said.
"I have thought of that. I thought right when Blair turned 18, that will be my cue to leave too, Eleanor and I would only need to pick our kid up, but Bart has his ways to charge her back in. Which is when he demanded some of his assets named after Blair. I would never expose any of Bart's explicit deals because it will pull me into a mess, but if one person finds out the sudden billion dollar that wasn't supposed to be there, Blair will be destroyed if she stayed in the Upper East Side," Harold clenched his fist. "I had to protect her so I stayed."
"You said that it will be a mess if she stayed in the Upper East Side," Dan thought about it. "When she ran away, was that…?"
"Eleanor planned it. She was scared to lose her only daughter that she left her first. Eleanor predicted if she leave her alone, the Upper East Side would be too harsh for her that she herself decided to leave. The design company on her name will pay for her leave and Bart won't demand her to stay because he wouldn't want to delve himself in a teenager's problems," Harold looked down. "Bart was smart. He knew of those plans, that when Eleanor left for Rome with her new husband, he took away her design company, everything that made Blair left with nothing but the penthouse. It made Blair hate Eleanor, so much that everything had led them further apart. Bart made Blair believed that Eleanor didn't want her."
"But she still ran away," Dan looked at Harold.
"And I was glad. At least with her off the Upper East Side long enough, Bart will have to change the names of the assets. I would need to stay long enough until the changes happens, but Blair would be free," Harold shook his head. "At least I dreamed of it."
"He found her," Dan said.
"He did, by accident in one of his hotels. I think karma has a way to get back to me because he took Blair in as his mistress, it disgust me that he had his hands all over her, but I couldn't do anything. He even decided to marry her so she was always around," Harold looked down. "I can't do anything else, I am just the disgusting father who sacrificed her daughter to the devil. The only way to release her is…"
"Kill him after she's off those assets," Dan said. "How many assets have you complied?"
"Almost half now, under a fake name," Harold said. "When I heard about the assassin who was after Bart, I thought of the idea to pull her out of my mess. The two assassins before you got caught before I even negotiated the idea. I realized not a regular assassin would be able to do the job. You've been around twice as longer. I've watched you and you are definitely smarter."
There was silence when Harold looked back at Dan.
"Are you as good as they say?" Harold asked. "The mighty assassin, are you that good with your skills."
"I am."
"Then I'm your new client. Kill him right on the day I have Blair's name off the assets, I want him gone, it's the only way. I'll pay you whatever amount you want," Harold looked straight at Dan.
Dan thought about it. "What are you going to do afterwards?"
"Why do you ask?" Harold looked at him.
"I just…" Dan looked at Harold. "She knows you're around, she just doesn't know it was you. She was scared that you'll hate her when you see her. You might be trying to save her but she doesn't know that, all she knew was that her father might hate her."
"Blair said that?" Harold was surprised.
"So I ask you again, what are you going to do afterwards?" Dan looked at him.
Harold thought about it. "I'm going to introduce myself then."
Dan smiled. "Then I'll do it." Dan stepped to the door and opened it. "You better go, Bart has his eyes everywhere so the longer you're here the more suspicious it gets."
Harold nodded and he walked to the door. He looked back at Dan. "You're not that bad."
"Well guess again," Dan said. It's obvious that he is the bad guy, it didn't matter anyway.
Nate saw Tyler Manning walking off and he took his head sets off. He ran towards Dan in the house. "Okay obviously I sneaked in a bug in here and heard the whole conversation. What was that all about?"
"I just made a new deal, that's all," Dan simply said.
"No, it didn't seem that way," Nate said. "It seemed like you are helping him."
"The money is good. I go for the highest bidder," Dan was annoyed.
"No, I know you. Perseus does not go for the highest bidder. He goes to the first bidder. He goes in, do the kill, and out. He doesn't make deals that changes the target," Nate was definitely confused.
"The target is still Bart Bass."
"No, the target you have now is saving that girl, Blair," Nate said and Dan looked at Nate. "If you're still killing Bart, he's on his way to the grave right now. What's wrong? Why the change of mind?"
"I... don't know," Dan looked down. He's so confused with himself that maybe saying it out loud would explain it. But it doesn't. "I'll see you later."
"Hey wait," Nate called but Dan was already gone.
Dan got on his car and he sat in silence. Before, Dan was caught up with Blair when she gave herself for his healing and now he was caught up saving her. It made him confused, terrified and even trembling. He started off his engine and left for a place. Dan was running away and without notice, he was running right at the last place he thought he would visit. He drove along the highway right from the Hamptons to the Hudson river.
Dan knocked on the door, and he sees the old grandmother staring back at him. "What are you doing here? Jenny is off in California with the others, you would know that if you accepted her calls. She was devastated when you didn't even answer."
"I knew she was in California," Dan said, looking down.
"Then why are you here Daniel?" Alice asked. She was surprised when she actually sees the vulnerable boy instead of the arrogant one in front of her when he looked up.
"I just needed someone to talk to," Dan said and he didn't realize he was holding himself. "I know you hate me Alice, but please, just once, I just needed a parent." He didn't realize his legs were limping and Alice caught him.
"Daniel, what happened?" Alice asked, worried.
"I just… I just…" Dan was speechless. His feelings were everywhere.
"Come in," Alice took his grandson in, and lets him sit on her couch. "You're cold."
"She was horrifying," Dan said slowly and Alice looked at him when she took the blanket around him. "Allison was horrifying when she left. She didn't even… She never even loved me. That was what I thought. That what was I believed. But dad was still there. I know he would never leave."
Alice looked at Dan. She stroked his arms as he trembled.
"But then he took his leave, right in front of me. I believed he didn't even love me like Allison. I thought maybe it was me who didn't deserve to be loved," Dan slowly lets a tear drop. "Am I such a disgusting child that no one wanted me. Not even you." He looked at Alice.
The elder took him in her arms. "You're not disgusting. Not at all. I'm sorry if I appear like that but I love you Daniel. I am just afraid on the roads you have taken, I was afraid at the man you have been."
"Am I that scary?" Dan suddenly sees the fear in Blair's eyes when he came into Bart's room.
"Daniel, you are not scary," Alice soothes his back. "You were just lost."
"I'm lost right now. I'm so confused by everything and it's just overwhelming," Dan held himself tighter under Alice's embrace. "I'm so confused Nana."
Nana was even more surprised. Dan had only called her Nana before Rufus died. In front of him was not the Dan Humphrey that had turned himself into an assassin, it was the young boy that was lost, the young boy that she knew once. He was still there. The young Daniel Humphrey was still here.
"It's good to feel confused," she feels herself tearing up. "It brings you back."
Alice didn't know how long it was she had Daniel in her embrace that he fell asleep. She lets him lay on the couch and rest himself. Alice stroked his hair and looker at her grandson. The only time she had seen this side of Daniel was when Allison left. The boy tried to calm himself as Jenny cried and cried. He was being strong. But then Jenny went to sleep, he cried alone with only Alice watching. He was confused and lost but he believed himself to know better for Jenny. When Rufus died Daniel left the household, suddenly disappearing from her life. Alice searched for Daniel and she sees him right when he killed one of his target. She thought Daniel was gone, the young innocent boy was gone. She sees him not even feeling sorry for the man he killed. The only thing she knew was to protect Jenny from whatever monster in front of her. But she forgets that maybe the Daniel she once knew was there, and tonight proves that he was still there. Whatever evoked all this emotions in him definitely brings back the old Daniel.
She would fight for it, for her old grandson back.
Alice looked at Daniel, feeling like a fool that she had neglected him all along. "If I knew there was still some good in you, I would bring you out myself, but I was egoistical and…" she sighed. "I'm sorry Daniel, I should have trusted you."
A few hours passed and Dan woke up, looking around his grandmother's house. He remembered how he suddenly broke down in front of his grandmother. He shook his head. His head hurts. He stood up and looked around. He heard a cutting sound from the kitchen. He sees his grandmother in the kitchen. He was ready to receive another judgmental glare from her.
"Oh, you're up!" Alice smiled. "You must be hungry."
Dan was surprised. But he thought maybe he's sudden depressed mode gave the wrong thought to Alice. "I know I seem like a little bitch before, but I don't need your pity. I know you still hate me."
Alice looked at him, sighing but smiling. "If this is defensive mechanism talking, I'll ignore it," Alice poured him a juice. "Now I believed there is some good in you Daniel, and whether you liked it or not, whoever did this to you is really someone I must know."
"What?" Dan was confused.
"Who's Blair? Is she cute?" Alice asked him, eyes sparkling. She smiled genuinely at Dan. "You said her name in your sleep."
"I did?" Dan was sure he went red.
"I thought you were a bad person, but now I know, you can never wash away the good in people," Alice walked around the island to approach Dan. She cups his cheeks. "I thought I was scared of you, but now I know, you weren't scary at all. You were just lost and you needed someone to guide you. I'm sorry I kept pushing you away, but just know, from now on, you can tell me anything. Even the gory kills, you can say it, I won't judge."
"Why?" Dan asked.
"Because the younger Daniel Humphrey liked to tell tales, and I would like it if the old Daniel Humphrey comes back," Alice smiled at him.
Dan took Alice's hand off. "I don't think he'll be able to come back."
"I know he will," Alice said.
"How would you even know?" Dan stared at her.
"Because he did when you step in right in my house a few hours ago. It's okay to feel confused, it's okay to feel lost," Alice looked at her grandson and she sees the walls he had up melted into the vulnerable boy. "Look at that, Daniel. You're back."
"What's wrong with me?" Dan asked, looking down, a question directed to himself.
"I have the feeling," Alice looked at him as he looked up. "Love happened to you."
He looked at Alice and somehow, something inside him turned. "Those stories… " he started. "I'll tell you when I can."
"And I'll be waiting right here," Alice smiled.
Dan left Alice's place with the baked muffin in his hand. He was sure that Alice was playing with him and still hates him, but her words seemed to seep through. She even invited him to dinner, which Dan only nodded. It was weird to see her so nice. Dan sees his phone filled with missed calls from Nate and one from Chuck. Right, today was the day he will meet the investors for Victrola. Chuck had appointed him to be with him during the dinner they will have. Dan pushed everything aside, if anything the work with Chuck made more sense than his own feelings.
Dan walked back into his loft right at 3 am. He was exhausted, he needed some sleep. It was weird, all this time the snooping after 2 sleepless never tire him, but now he just feel like he could sleep all day long. Dan stepped up the stairs when he sees her, Blair Waldorf in front of his door.
Without warning she approached him as she sees him, scanning him with a worried expression. "You're not hurt are you?"
"What?" Dan was surprised. The only thing he sees wasn't the fear in her eyes but the worry.
"Where have you been? I know you made the deal with Bart but I thought you were dead!" Blair looked up at him and sees him looking at her. "Are you… okay?" She was really worried.
Alice had said, love happened to him. He tried to avoid it but the proof was right in front of him. He knew since before but he tried to push it aside. Turns out you can't push Blair Waldorf away. Slowly, he approached her and embraced her. She lets him. It felt good, being in her arms. He can feel her warmth and he feels comfortable in it. His confusion dims and he realized, Blair had changed him. He didn't feel it before, but then she came to his life that she brings back the colors of emotion in his life.
He released her just enough to look at her face. She still had that worried expression. He cups her cheek.
"Aren't you scared of me?" Dan asked, and she could feel his breath on her skin. "Aren't you scared of the guy that could kill you?"
"I was at first," Blair looked up. "But you had me confused. You were always placing walls around you but somehow you see through me. I remembered that, for some reason I always put that first. I always somehow believed you were so much more. Because if I deserved better, it would be you. I had that feeling."
Dan was slowly lost in her eyes, because somehow, this girl on front of him trusted him that much that she was here right in front of him, holding him.
"You should be scared," he whispered.
"I don't think I could," Blair said, searching for his eyes. "Somehow you had me in when you spoke to me that night."
Dan slowly leaned in and kissed her, a mere peck. "You deserved better."
Blair leaned in and kissed him, putting more passion in it. She broke the kiss to look at him. "I wanted you. It may be wrong, and it might led you to leave me like Marcus did, but I just want you, only you. I don't understand it, but I know what I want."
Dan risks it as he kissed her again, tightening his grip around her. Blair has her arms around his neck, pulling him. Between kisses Dan said to her, "I could be a jerk tomorrow."
"I don't care," Blair tightened her grip. She feels his hands cupping her cheeks. Their breathing became heavier as Dan backs her into his door. He struggled putting the key inside while still kissing her. Finally the door was opened and he pushed her inside, only to be pushed back into the door when they were inside.
His jacket was gone and his hands roamed to find her zippers. Blair pulled the buttons of his shirt off and she slides her hand on his abs. She lets go when Dan pulled her blouse up and lose it to the floor. She couldn't get enough of his kiss. She whined when he left her lips but felt relieved when he finds her neck. She couldn't help the moans coming out of her mouth and held his head on its place, gripping his hair. She feels him lowering his kisses right between her bosom and he stopped to pull the lacey bra off her. He kissed her breast and landed his lips on her nipple. He slowly bites it and he heard her moans getting louder. She tugged his shirt to tell him to take it off, he did. Slowly he lifted her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist. The room was too far so he settled on the couch. He laid her back on the couch and continued kissing her.
Blair led her hands down the trail and she slipped it into his jeans. He moans into her mouth when she grips him. He was already so hard. He trails his hands on each side of her thigh, and pulled her underwear off. He teased her when he circled her clit. She is already so wet. She pushed him up and unhooked his belt, unzipping his pants. Dan could only watch when she lowered her mouth on his hard on. He growled as Blair took him fully in her mouth. "Shit, Blair." She played with him, giving him the tension that was enough to make him go crazy as he could only watch her please him.
Blair replaced her mouth with her hands, looking up to seek for his lips. Dan cupped her face and laid her on back again. Slowly, he pins her hands above her head, gripping her wrist as he pushed inside her. Blair moans in pleasure when she feels him inside of her. He stayed still while kissing her and puts her legs around his waist. He thrusts slowly and watched as she closed her eyes in sensation. He kissed her neck when he gained his momentum. He bites her and had to leave his mark. She was his.
Blair gripped his hair and pulled him to her lips once more. She moaned into his kisses and pushed herself into him so that she meets his thrust. Dan took that as a sign to thrust even deeper. Blair's moans kept getting louder and she gripped his shoulder. She was about to break.
Dan pulled her up so she was straddling him. He looked right into her eyes and kissed her, putting more force into it. The short stare made Blair fall even more for him and their gliding tongues kept wrestling with one another. She pushed herself up and down on him and she felt his hands behind her, helping her movements. "Dan…" she sighed as she looked at him when she was pumping him. She felt like she couldn't breathe when Dan looked back into her eyes. He wasn't the same as Marcus, not like all those lusty men out there, he actually sees her, adores her, cared for her, and it was all in his eyes.
Blair felt her peak coming and she lets her head back to feel it. She feels him coming too. They reached their peak and Dan emptied himself in her. Blair buried her face on his shoulder and he slowly laid her back on the couch. He kissed her slowly and sensually.
He broke the kiss to see her, to watch her.
"If ever I decided to run, if ever I decided to push you away, don't give up on me," Dan said as he rested his forehead on hers. "It might be a small relapse, I will always try to get back to you. I promise you that."
Blair smiled and kissed him. "I won't let you go either."
It was strange, both of them didn't understand the things that are happening, but maybe sometimes, just letting things through would be better than understanding. They laid on the couch for a few moments before Dan kissed her hair.
"How did you find my place?" he asked, stroking her back.
"Remember Patty?" Blair said. Dan nodded. "You pay her a diamond ring, she can tell you any information needed. House address, phone numbers…" Blair slowly drew a circle on Dan's chest, right on his heart.
"Blair Waldorf scheming," somehow it didn't feel odd for her to scheme. Dan smiled when he heard her laugh. "You're something else, Blair."
"I have the feeling you know a lot more about me than I do," Blair looked down on him and rested her chin on his chest.
"I don't know your favorite color," Dan stroked her hair.
"Green," Blair smiled.
"Why?" Dan likes to watch her.
"Because it calms me down," Blair said, watching him back. "What's your favorite color?"
"Brown."
"Why?" she feels his hand roaming behind her back.
He looks up at her brown eyes and stared into it. "Because it calms me down."
Blair smiled and laid her head back on his chest. Then he heard him whispering to her.
"We have to be careful Blair," Dan said. "Bart Bass is eyeing me and I don't want you in the middle of the troubles that are about to happen." He didn't mention that she was already right at the centre of it.
"Are you still killing him?" Blair asked, she was afraid of this.
"I have to," Dan gripped her waist. He needed to save her.
"The deal yesterday was an act was it?" Blair asked.
"How'd you know?" Dan looked down at her.
"I knew that wasn't you. The heartless man that spoke so coldly, that wasn't you. I refuse it to be you," Blair tightened her grip. "It had to be a lie." She feels Dan's lips on her head and she closed her eyes feeling his touch.
"I'm still an assassin," he spoke slowly.
"You are," Blair said. "But that man yesterday, he doesn't have your warmth. You were an assassin when you cried in front of me, but I can feel your warmth even during then." Blair looked back at him. "Don't lose it."
Dan looked at her. "Truthfully, you're the one who brings out that warmth," he leaned in to kiss her. "Just a little bit more and I'll be done. It will just be you and me. No Bart Bass, no kill, none if this Upper East Side social hierarchy. Just you and me."
"Okay," Blair kissed him back.
It was just a dream for now, but sometimes believing it could help you find the way to reach the place you always wanted.
To Be Continued
Hope You Enjoy!
